Food the old fashioned way

Monthly Archives: May 2017

Mrs De Graf’s Cook Book

Published by
H S Crocker Co Inc
San Francisco, California
in 1922

To the many whose requests that the works of the author
be put into book form, and whose interest was the main
influence that prompted the publication of this book, a deep
feeling of thanks is extended.

To the San Francisco Chronicle and the H. S. Crocker Co., Inc.,
whose cooperation made possible the printing and distribution
of this book, sincere appreciation is offered.

Mrs Belle De Graf’s cook book from 1922 can
be yours in pdf format simply by clicking
the icon below

Traditional food with an asumed origin from Western Norway. These days, this dish is eaten all over the country, and every “stewed fish family” have their own recipe. Some people use plain cod or stock fish instead of lightly salted cod. Some families may swear to pollock, but there is one thing they all have in common. A really tasty meal.

It is rumored that they were one of Cleopatra’s prized beauty secrets. They make apperances in the Bible and in Shakespeare’s writing. Pregnant women have been known to crave them along with ice cream. Pickles have been around for thousands of years, dating as far back as 2030 BC when cucumbers from their native India were pickled in the Tigris Valley. The word “pickle” comes from the Dutch pekel or northern German pókel, meaning “salt” or “brine,” two very important components in the pickling process. Throughout history pickling was a necessity, as it was the best way to preserve food for a long period of time. As one of the earliest mobile foods, pickles filled the stomachs of hungry sailors and travelers, while also providing families with a source of food during the cold winter months.

Pickles are created by immersing fresh fruits or vegetables in an acidic liquid or saltwater brine until they are no longer considered raw or vulnerable to spoilage. When we think of pickles, cucumbers commonly come to mind. Pickled cucumbers are often lacto-fermented in saltwater brine. During this process lactic microbial organisms develop, which turn the naturally occurring sugars of foods into lactic acid. In turn, the environment becomes acidic quickly, making it impossible for any spoiling bacteria to multiply. Cucumber pickles can also be made with a salt and vinegar brine, a popular choice for home cooks. The brine, known as “pickle juice,” is sometimes used by athletes to treat dehydration, though it has yet to be proven as a true remedy.

Kosher dills have a unique history of their own. In The Book of Jewish Food, Claudia Roden explains that pickled vegetables were a dietary staple for Jews living in the Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania and Russia. The sharp flavor of pickles proved a welcome addition to the bland bread-and-potato diet of these cold weather countries. For several generations, it was an autumn custom for Ashkenazim to fill barrels with cucumbers, beets and shredded cabbage. The mixture was left to ferment in a warm place for several weeks, then relocated to cool, dark cellars. The pickles would last through the long cold winter until spring, when new crops of fresh produce were available.

When a heavy influx of eastern European Jews arrived in New York City during the late 1800s and early 1900s, immigrants introduced kosher dill pickles to America. Cucumbers were washed, then piled in large wooden barrels along with dill, garlic, spices, kosher salt and clean water. They were left to ferment for a few weeks to several months; shorter fermenting time produced brighter green “half sours,” while longer fermentation resulted in “full sours.” Pickles were sold on pushcarts in the immigrant tenement district of New York City. Over time, Jewish-owned shops selling pickles straight out of the barrel began appearing in droves. Eventually, pickling became a profitable business within the Jewish community. Today, a plate of pickles is usually served complimentary with a meal at the best Jewish delis.

Home pickling was made much easier and more sanitary during the 1850s, when two essential canning tools were invented. First, a Scottish chemist by the name of James Young created paraffin wax, which helped to create a seal for food preserved in jars. A few years later, John Mason developed and patented the first Mason jar. Mason’s jars were made from a heavyweight glass that was able to tolerate the high temperatures used in canning and processing pickles.

Of course, pickles aren’t limited to the dill and cucumber variety. They can be sweet, sour, salty, hot or all of the above. Pickles can be made with cauliflower, radishes, onions, green beans, asparagus and a seemingly endless variety of other vegetables and fruits. When the English arrived in the New World, they brought their method for creating sweet pickles with vinegar, sugar and spiced syrup. Eastern Europeans introduced various forms of lacto-fermented cabbage, known as sauerkraut. The French serve tiny, spiced cornichons with heavy pâtés and pungent cheeses. In the Middle East pickles are served with every meal, from peppers to olives to lemons. Russians pickle tomatoes, among other things. Koreans have their kimchi, the Japanese pickle plums and daikon, and Italians pickle eggplants and peppers. Each area of the world has its own beloved variety of pickle.

A cookie recipe found in “Cooky Jar Favourites” published by the Tested Recipe Institute in 1960

Peanut butter, raisins and oats should give these cookies the perfect chewiness. Just the thing with a glass of lemonade for the children of the Norwegian post-war baby boom which I was a part back in 1960when this book was published. Little Ted was 7 back then.

A dessert recipe found in “Recipes the Modern Pabst-ett Way”published by the Pabst Corporation in 1931

Pabst-ett was a cheese prodused by Pabst brewery during Prohibition. Many breweries turned to alternative pruducts back then. After Prohibition ended in 1933, Pabst sold the cheese business off to Kraft who continued to produce Pabst-ett cheese until at least the late 1940’s. If you want to try your hand at this recipe, use any cheese to your taste you think might go well with the rest of the recipe ingredients.

Saara who runs Let Hem Boyle writes on the blog: This blog is all about historical cooking, mainly focusing on the medieval and renaissance periods. I hope you’ll get inspired and see that cooking is fun and easy. The modernized recipes are only my suggestions, so feel free to try out and make your own! This blog and material is in English and in Finnish. Check out the upper bar of this page! You can find all the recipes there 🙂 enjoy!

A salad recipe found in “Swappin’ Good Recipes Feat. Cottage Cheese” published by American Dairy Association in 1970

Unless you were stinking rich I guess this was a salad you might have served rather seldom. Four servings of salad made from 8 freshly cooked lobster tail served with fresh pineapple was not cheap ingredients back in 1970, neither are they today. But man, it looks absolutely delicious.

A set of plans for a couple of really nice retro porch chairs for you here. The plans were published in the May 1952 issue of Popular Mechanicsand you can download them in pdf format by clicking the icon below

In 2009, Ski underwent a package redesign. A new slogan was introduced, “Real Lemon. Real Orange. Real Good.” Along with the new graphics, Diet Ski was reformulated with Splenda. Cherry Ski was re-branded as Ski InfraRED.

The time for picnics is really back again here in Norway, this week has almost been to hot for comfort. That means it’s time to make fresh lemonade, bake pastries, make sandwiches and get the picnic baskets out of the cupboards and head for a nice park or the woods. Marvelous way to share a meal if you ask me – Ted

A quick dinner recipe found in “Mat for Travle” (Food forBusy People) published Hjemmets Kokebokklubb in 1982

I’m not quite sure why the authors of the book has chosen to call this dish English Casserole, it could just as easily has been from any of the Scandinavian countries. Not that this matter much, recipes have traveled to and fro over the North Sea for more than a 1000 years so who care where it came from initially, it looks delicious – Ted